Tips for Mac Users: 7 Cool Things Every Mac Computer User Should Know
The number of Mac users is getting bigger. In 2021, Apple’s market share gained by 28% at a faster pace of annual growth than its competitors.
While the number of Mac users is growing, many newcomers don’t know about all of the useful Mac computer features. If you’re new to Mac or just never learned what you can do with it, there are a few features that you should learn about to improve productivity and have an easier time using an Apple computer.
In this guide, we’ll tell you about the 7 most helpful tips for Mac users.
1. Use iCloud Services
One of the things that you should learn to do if you’re a Mac owner is how to use iCloud. The iCloud is a name for all of Apple’s cloud-based services.
Using iCloud, you can store all of your stuff in the cloud so that you can access it from anywhere. It allows you to sync everything on different Apple devices including documents, photos, movies, and music.
To use the iCloud, you’ll need to have an Apple ID and should make sure that you’re using the same one on any devices that you want to sync. Be sure that you start using iCloud to back up your files, free up space on your devices, and have easy access to anything you need.
2. Search With Spotlight
Another thing that you should learn how to do on your Mac is to use the Spotlight feature. Spotlight is built into macOS.
You can use Spotlight to easily search your computer and find all kinds of things including images, documents, apps, files, and maps. It also has additional functionality as well and can also be used to search Wikipedia and news sites or to do simple calculations.
To use spotlight, you’ll simply need to access your menu bar and click on the magnifying glass icon. This will open up a search field that you can type into to easily find apps, files and more.
3. Use Speech Recognition Tools
One of the ways that you can get more out of your Mac and boost your productivity is to set up speech recognition features. With Mac, you can easily give your computer voice commands and can set phrases that you can use to do various things on your Mac.
To set up speech recognition on your Mac, you’ll need to go to System Preferences. Then, go to Accessibility and look for Voice Control. Under these settings, you can enable voice recognition and set phrases and commands.
4. Change Boot Programs
Something that you may not realize that you can do on your Mac is to automatically launch specific programs when you boot it up. Setting these programs can add some convenience to your life if there are certain apps that you always want to use when you turn on your computer.
To make changes to your startup routine and choose which programs start up at boot, you’ll need to go into System Preferences. Then, click on Users & Groups.
You’ll then need to click on your username and go to the Login Items tab. Select the applications you want to load when you boot up in the Applications section.
5. Take Screenshots
MacOS also has a built-in app for taking screenshots and recording content on your screen.
The interface for the screenshot app allows you to do all kinds of things and lets you clearly specify what part of your display you want to record. You can also change other settings such as microphone input and mouse pointer options.
To get to the screenshot app for macOS you’ll need to go to the launchpad or use the designated shortcut which is “Cmd + Shift + 5”.
6. Add Files and Folders to the Dock
Another key feature of macOS that you need to know about is the ability to pin folders and files to your dock.
You can add any apps that you want to the collection of icons at the bottom of your computer screen. However, many people don’t realize that you can add a lot more than that. In addition to adding apps, you can also add files and folders to the dock as well.
To do this, you’ll simply need to go into the finder and choose a file or folder that you want to add. You can easily drag the file to the dock’s right-hand section to keep it there indefinitely.
7. Access a Media Player Easily
You should also know that you can pin a media player to the Mac’s menu bar. This allows you to easily change playback without needing to open the media player app.
To add a media player to the menu bar, you’ll want to go to System Preferences. Then, go to Dock & Menu Bar and click on Now Playing.
Here, you can check the box that says “Show in Menu Bar” to enable a media player widget. This will allow you to start managing the media player directly from your Mac’s menu bar.
Be sure that you have a great media player to use. Check out https://setapp.com/how-to/the-best-alternatives-to-vlc-media-player-for-mac if you’re looking for a media player for your Mac.
Using These Cool Tricks for Mac Users
While there are a lot of Mac users out there, not all of them know how to use the operating system well. Be sure that you’re making use of Mac’s great features such as iCloud, speech recognition, and Spotlight if you want to get the most out of your computer.
Need more advice for Mac users? Read through our blog now to find more useful guides and articles.